Devil, Mine
by Senashenta
Summary: She's found her Chosen, and now Sera's story continues as she, Celeste and Meriol head for home. But someone seems to have other plans for them, and 'Celeste' may not be who Sera thinks she is! (Continuation of 'Angel Wings'.)
1. Back To The Sun

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Disclaimer: Tra la la… don't own Companions, don't own Valdemar, don't own most stuff. ^^ Domo arigatou to Mercedes Lackey for gifting us with her wonderful world. ^^ If you want to borrow any of my original characters (Sera, Lani, Meriol, Celeste, Denny, etc.) I'd be more than happy to let you, but please ask first, ne? ^_~

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Notes: Okay, the first chapter is up (by popular demand) but I can guarantee when the next one will make it out. I'm in the middle of exam time at school right now, and haven't been feeling the greatest lately so all my writing has been put on the back burner to simmer for the time being. *bows* Gomen ne.

Thanks muchly to everyone who reviewed Angel Wings, and _especially_ to everyone who emailed me to send comments and/or ask about the continuation! And to everyone who gave me their opinion in the POV debate! *glomps* And now, the second half of Seraphim's story~!

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Devil, Mine

Chapter One: Back To The Sun

Whole.

A word I'd never really contemplated before, but one that's meaning was suddenly dawning on me; I realized, as I again raced down the cobblestone streets of Karse, that I had never truly _been_ whole until that moment. It was a strange feeling, like finding something you didn't even know had been missing.

It felt so _right…_

I could barely keep my heart from soaring. Which, in my particular case, meant that I really _was_ having trouble keeping my hooves on the ground. Though, to be truthful, I wasn't sure I could even lift _myself_ on my never-used wings, never mind with Celeste on my back.

Which might not have been a problem for much longer, I realized, as the child was having trouble keeping balanced as I roared toward the border. I ignored the pain that stabbed through my shoulders when she suddenly slipped, then clutched at the closest thing to keep from crashing to the ground – this happened to be a combination of the lower part of my mane and the feathers of my upper wings.

__

:Ow!:

Celeste jumped at my exclamation, and I could Feel her begin to panic. There was no time for that. Reacting without thinking, I grasped her mind and poured all the confidence I could from myself to her. Hopefully, that would do it. Her hands relaxed minutely, relieving some of the pull on my mane and wings, though it certainly wasn't gone. 

__

:Sera--!:

Meriol was still beside me, of course. I'd almost forgotten about him. _:What, Meriol?!:_

:Those Priests…!:

What? The Priests? 

__

:What about them?:

:They're BEHIND us, Sera!:

Behind…? I cocked my right ear back, listening… sure enough, beyond my hoofbeats and those of Meriol were the sounds of at least two horses, possibly three. Huh. I hadn't thought that the Priests would follow us. It just hadn't seemed a likely situation, given how terrified they had been when I had – ahem -- invited myself into the Temple. 

It wasn't enough that they'd been bricking an _innocent_ (and there was no question in my mind this was exactly what Celeste was) girl into a wall, but they had to chase after us now? What could she had possibly done to warrant such behavior? Why was it so important that they follow through with what they'd started?

I fought the rage that threatened to bubble to the surface as my mind worked through those questions. 

If I let my temper get the better of me, there might be problems. Not that there weren't already.

Shouts caught my attention, and I focused my eyes on the road ahead, flicking my ears back to the front. We were close to the border once more. How we had managed to get there so quickly… we were running for our lives… for Celeste's life, I suppose… faster than we would have normally… near the line between our country and Karse were the same people who had stopped us before. Bram and Hanner, along with their Chosen and the Guards were watching, seeming horrified, as we flew toward them, hooves flashing.

But there was…

__

:Watch your feet!: Meriol told me, his Mindvoice gasping, _:they've strung a rope!:_

I snorted angrily, and lowered my head, preparing to jump. I wasn't going to let some stupid rope keep me from Valdemar and safety. Did they think we were stupid? Well, they were about to get a hell of a surprise if they did…

__

:Hang on Celeste!:

The girl whimpered, ducking her head down, and I tensed my muscles, then sprung forward into a leap – against my will, my wings spread as I did. I probably looked amazing, if I do say so myself. Unfortunately, the damned things did more harm than good; instead of actually taking me into the air (which, I admit, would have been somewhat frightening for Celeste and I) they simply _opened_, which added a _wonderfully_ harsh wind resistance to my normally streamlined body.

__

:Damn it!:

Still, I would have been fine—

--if it wasn't for the rope that was still dangling, unchecked, from around my neck because of my _last_ passing through the border. As I jumped past the Karsites, a too-fast hand darted out, snatching the rope-end from midair.

Now, a human being is no match for the strength of a horse, never mind a Companion, not to mention one that's moving at the speed I was. There was no way he could hold me, in fact, the man's arm was surely wrenched from it's socket, and I allowed myself a quick thought of _'serves him right'_, but the jerk on my neck did enough damage as it was.

I uttered a shriek as my head snapped to the side, throwing my balance to the winds. My body jerked to the side after my momentum, my front legs flailed wildly, trying to find purchase where there was none, and my wings flared out. On my back, Celeste screamed, her voice high and piercing, and tangled her fingers in my mane and wings once more; I could feel feathers and hair tear from my skin under her frantic grip. I winced, knowing that blood would soon be dripping across my skin, as I struggled to regain my balance.

__

:Sera!: Meriol's frantic Shout barely made it into my thoughts…

Chest heaving, my hooves scrabbled on the cobblestone, and I managed to get my feet under myself once more. Celeste was hanging halfhazardly on my back, having tipped to the side when the rope around my neck had been snagged. I worried that she might fall, and mentally gripped her hands, securing them in the silver-and-red hair of my now-bleeding neck.

My heart was pounding in my ears, but I didn't give myself time to calm it – I stood for a split second, panting, before leaping into movement again. But as I stood, my eyes landed on our pursuers, who were (contrary to what both Meriol and I had believed) not the Priests, but members of the Karsite Guard. I momentarily wondered why they would have bothered to call the Guard to bring back a single prisoner… but I would have to learn Celeste's crime later.

__

:Almost there, Chosen, just a little farther--:

Though free from the grasp of the idiotic man who had attempted to stop me via the rope, I soon found that they weren't willing to give up so easily. Another man – surely it was someone different – chose to risk both life and limb, and ducked in close to grab the end of the rope again. Snorting in shock (how could these people _possibly_ be so _stupid--_?!), I side stepped, then took three half-running steps and pressed my nose up against his, practically pushing him backward. Growling (a surprising noise to hear from a horse-like creature, no doubt, but one I somehow managed), I blew an angry breath of air across his face.

There was a moment of silence, broken only by the hoofbeats of the Guard, who were catching up me to quickly.

Finally; _:I would remove my hand from that rope, were I you--:_

I had broken the Silence yet again… and I was sure I would hear about it later. For now…

__

:--or would you rather I removed it for you?:

The man's eyes widened at the threat behind my words, and his trembling hand immediately released the rope.

Snorting in his face once more, I reared back, tossing my head. This had the effect of throwing the rope over my shoulder and practically into Celeste's hands. She numbly grasped it, propelled by my mental directing, and I backed away from the man, noting the fear still etched across his features, before turning and jumping—

I soared across the border, making those who were waiting with baited breath – Meriol, Heralds and Guard alike – scramble to get out of my way, for fear of being trampled, and landing with a sharp clatter. 

__

:Sera, are you alright?:

I ignored Meriol's worried question and whirled to face the border. As I had passed, Bram's Chosen had quickly shouted orders, and the Guard had taken up positions, blocking anyone from following me. The people who had given me trouble both on entry and exit of Karse had given way to the Karsite Guard, who perched on their horses, were glaring toward Meriol, Celeste and I with barely-contained fury.

Let them glare.

Silently, I hoped that I hadn't just caused an _incident_… relations between Karse and Valdemar had been going along well, and all I needed was to start a war. Though concerned, I honestly didn't think there would be a huge problem… Selenay would speak with Solaris, and all would go back to normal… Solaris was an intelligent and understanding ruler… I hoped…

__

:Young One,: Hanner's Voice boomed, making me turn sky blue eyes toward him, _:there had better be a good explanation for this.:_

:There is.: I assured him immediately, _:just let me think of what it is, and I'll let you know. Come on, Meriol, we need to get back to Haven.:_

:Wait, you--:

Hanner broke off, sighing, when he realized I wasn't listening to him anymore.

And I was happy, mentally consoling Celeste, calming her, and folding my wings back up to my sides, as Meriol and I broke into a canter on our way back home. But… there was something… a feeling… creeping up the back of my neck…

"What is it?" Celeste asked timidly, catching the strange feeling from me.

I considered, Sending my Mind out for a moment, then shrugged, a ripple of my shining hide.

_:Nothing, Sister. Nothing…:_

But I wasn't exactly sure...


	2. Enigma Of Flesh

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Disclaimer: I. Own. Nothing. Huggles to Mercedes Lackey for inventing it all!

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Anti-Disclaimer: Wait, I own any original characters. Please ask before borrowing! Thankies!

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Notes: Well, glad everyone's happy. ^^ I'm going away for about a week and a half before I head back to school for second semester, but I figured I'd bang off this chapter and post 'er up before I left. ^_~ Thanks muchly to everyone for your kindly reviews! *glomps* Also, yay for everyone else who's trying Companion POV stories! Hard stuff, but fun anyway, nyao nyao~! =^-^=

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Extra Notes: Mar! Though I verily have nine stories already partly-done and posted, I'm working on Chapter One of another Valdemar fic that should be posted sometime soon. Hopefully, despite not being a POV fic like my other Valdemar scribbles, you guys'll like it. ^_~

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Extra, Extra Notes: Anyone who hasn't read etcetera-cat's POV fic, "Grass Is Greener" must go and do so now. In all my omnipotent wisdom, that is my order. End transmission. Ehe he he. ^.^;;

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Devil, Mine

Chapter Two: Enigma Of Flesh

By the time we were far enough away that Hanner and Bram had stopped attempting to Call after us (having figured out that I had no intention of stopping) the eerie feeling that we were being watched had almost vanished. While it still lingered in the back of my mind, it was faint enough now that I could push it to the back of my thoughts and focus on Celeste, who continued to cling desperately to my feathers in an attempt not to fall to the cobblestones below my hooves.

_:Sera, we need to stop…:_

I hated to admit it, as I was more than happy to keep running and put as much distance between myself and Karse, but Meriol was right. We couldn't make it back to Haven in one night anyway, and Celeste really needed to rest, the poor child.

_:I suppose.:_

:Suppose nothing.: Meriol said, trying to sound firm; _:if memory serves, we're near a Waystation. We should stop there for the night.:_

I heaved a sigh and nodded mentally, _:alright. Celeste, Love, we're going to stop soon.:_

"Okay."

I doubted that, had I told her we were going to continue travelling for the next three days straight to get to Haven, she would have had the strength of will to complain, but the relief that was overlayed in her mind was too evident to ignore.

_:Do you know what a Waystation is?:_

"No."

It was a good thing I could Hear her responses, despite the fact that she wasn't actually Mindspeaking me; she seemed to be unknowingly Broadsending her feelings, and I wondered if Meriol could Feel her as well. In any case, had I not been able to Hear her, I would have been lost, as she was speaking in a barely-audible whisper.

_Of course she doesn't know what a Waystation is, stupid._ I chided myself, _not only is she a Priestess… I think… she's a Karsite Priestess._

Which reminded me – why was she speaking in Valdemarian? Granted, it was heavily-accented, but it was still recognizable.

I shook my head, snorting, and decided that was a trivial matter. I could ask her about it later, once the poor thing was a little calmer. Right now, it seemed, she was still partially in shock.

_:A Waystation is like a little house.: _With these words, I Sent an image of the last (and, I admit, _only_) Waystation I had been in. _:You see? It has a warm bed and food for travelling Heralds.:_

Silence, and I could sense Celeste's confusion at my words.

Which, in turn, confused me to some extent. _:What is it, Chosen?:_

"I… what's a Herald?"

Shocked by the question, I found myself skidding to a stop on the road. Meriol passed me, slowing, and then turned to trot back toward us as I gaped mentally at my new Sister. _She doesn't know what a HERALD is? She… a Waystation I can understand, but… everyone in Karse knows what a Herald is!_

Or so I had previously thought.

And if she didn't know what a Herald was, it was almost certain she had no idea what a Companion was, either.

Oh my.

No wonder the child was confused.

_:Sera, what is it?:_

Blinking, I looked toward him, hesitating, before stamping a fore-hoof. _:It's nothing. Let's get moving. I think I'd like to have Celeste in bed with a nice hot meal inside of her before sundown.:_

Meriol Sent a smiling feeling, _:good idea.:_

As we set out again, I let my mind wander as I considered my situation. Which, I was learning, was even more complicated than I had originally thought. 

Gwena was going to kill me.

So I mulled things over as Meriol half-lead me toward the Waystation he thought he remembered being in the general area. Had I not still been whirling through shocked thought after shocked thought, I might have taken the time to think of something sarcastic to say to him about his oh-so-specific idea.

And by the time we had reached the tiny building, I had managed to decide one two things; one being that I had to explain things to Celeste as best as I could and hope I didn't make her even more confused than she already was. The other being that I needed – _really_, it was becoming more and more obvious that I had to know – to ask her about her situation in Karse.

_Because I need to know why they were bricking her up._ A gave a little mental snarl at that as my anger bubbled again, _and I need to know her past._

Like, for example, what rock she had been living under that she had never heard of White Devils and their Demon Horses.

And while I would have preferred being called a Companion, at that point I could have settled for anything.

As Meriol and I slowed and paced down the lane toward the clearing where the Waystation – apparently, Meriol's memory _had_ been correct – stood, I hazarded a tentative touch into Celeste's mind.

There wasn't all that much; memories that were all so similar they blurred together almost into one, up until the encounter with the Priests, and then they were blurred by fear and panic more than anything else. There was one clear spot, though, and I had to smile; a bright, cerulean blue and a feeling of overwhelming love. And then, sadly, more blurring together of events after that.

The bottom line being that I couldn't tell anything from her memories without delving deeper into her mind, which I was as of yet unprepared and unwilling to do. 

I would have to ask her, and hope that she was able to make sense of the memories for me.

_:Get down from my back, Chosen.:_ I prodded her gently with my Mind, stopping in front of the Waystation door, and she shakily slid to the grass. Obviously the girl was not used to riding. _:Are you alright?:_

Celeste blinked at me vaguely, then nodded. "I think so…"

_:Good.:_

Folding my wings back across my sides, I shook my head. Feathers – some of which had been pulled free during my mad race for the border, and some of which fell naturally – drifted to the ground, and Celeste watched them with a keep interest. Stooping, she picked one up and brushed a fingertip across the fluff it was made of.

The look of peaceful concentration on her face as she did was strange to see, and I wondered if she really as okay. But… she didn't seem, despite the recent events in her life, to be hurt in any way.

A soft smile flitted across her face, and instead of simply dropping it, Celeste knelt down and carefully set the feather back on the ground, in virtually the same place she had picked it up from originally.

And I suddenly realized that, despite Choosing her, she was a complete enigma to me. 

_I have a lot to learn…_

"Did I hurt you?"

_:Huh?:_ I had been so intent of watching her that I hadn't noticed _her_ watching _me_. At my surprised utterance, she reached a pale hand up and touched my shoulder, where the thin trails of blood that had been seeping from my mane and wings had dried against my shining hide.

Tilting her head to the side, she repeated; "did I hurt you?"

_:Oh… no. It doesn't hurt at all.:_

I was lying, but it wasn't a serious one. While the wounds _did_ continue to ache slightly, it wasn't a debilitating pain by any means and I didn't want to worry her. Across the clearing at the stream (there was always one near a Waystation, which I had always been curious about), Meriol brought his head up and looked at me worriedly.

"Are you sure?" Celeste's voice was still soft, and I realized that previously, when I had thought her to be whispering due to some sort of shock, I had been wrong. Apparently, it was just in her nature to speak softly.

_:Of course.:_ I craned my neck around and touched my nose to her cheek.

"I thought… when I almost fell…" she paused, seeming to be considering her words, then; "I don't know what's going on… you… and him…" her eyes went to Meriol as she said this, then returned to me. "They were… and then you…"

_:It's okay now, Love.:_

"I know."

She sounded like she needed a hug, and I wished fiercely that I still has arms. Instead I turned and pressed my forehead against her chest, then draped my head over her shoulder, allowing her to wrap thin around my neck.

_She's not at all as I imagined her…_

Not that I really had any idea what I thought my Chosen would be like. She was what she was, just as I was what I was. Which reminded me… unfurling my wings, I flicked them once to remove any loose feathers and then retracted them. They vanished under my skin again, and I was once more, to all appearances, a normal Companion.

Celeste watched curiously, but said nothing.

_:Are you hungry?:_

She shook her head, blonde hair shaking. "Not really."

I laughed, _:you need to eat, you know.:_

"I will tomorrow. I'm tired."

_:Alright… there's a bed inside.:_

"Will you stay with me?"

_:Of course, Chosen. You're stuck with me now.:_

"Okay."

I got the feeling that wasn't exactly what she had meant by the question, but it was too late. Before I could say anything else, she turned and vanished into the Waystation. I tilted my ears and listened -- she paused just inside the door, but only for a moment, and then lowered herself down onto the way-stuffed mattress.

_:Sera…:_

I looked over my shoulder at Meriol as he approached. _:Hm?:_

:Sera… what is it about her?:

An odd question, but I knew what he meant. _:I don't know, Meriol… but she's tired so I wanted her to rest. I can ask her about everything tomorrow.:_

:Yes. She's had a long day, I think.:

:…: Sighing, I closed my eyes. _:How do you think Lani's doing?:_

:Lani?: Meriol chuckled, snorting, _:she's probably basking in the wonders of having Chosen, and letting the person's family lavish gifts upon her freely. You know how she is.:_

I giggled, _:that's Lani for you.:_

A moment of silence.

_:Are you going to sleep, too?:_ He sounded concerned when he Spoke again. _:You had a long say as well. Hell, I'M tired and you're the one that had all that turmoil. Get some rest.:_

I hate to admit it, but he's right.

I want to stay up and keep watch over Celeste. She's just so… fragile. Everything about her screams "breakable". 

But Meriol's right. I need sleep as much as she does.

_:Alright, alright.:_ I sighed, nodding, and stationed myself right outside the Waystation door, much to Meriol's amusement. He picks out a spot a few feet away, choosing to stand to sleep. _:Goodnight.:_

:'Night.:

In the silence that followed, my head drooped. Despite my aching muscles, and the dried blood that still speckled my skin, I fell asleep quickly. I could only assume that Meriol did the same.

Dreams of fluttering doves…

Something woke me some time later, and I blinked sleepily, confused. A noise, repetitive and familiar, sounded from the Waystation. My sleep-fuzzed mind tried to identify it.

_What-?_

My heart ached when I realized what it was.

Sniffling.

Celeste, my Chosen, my Soul Sister, was in the dark, alone, and crying.

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So this chapter probably raised more questions than it answered. *shrugness* Sorry. There's going to be a lot of explanations in the next chapter or two, though. ^^;; Ja, minna-san!


	3. Sins Of Innocence

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Disclaimer: I happily proclaim to the world that I do not own Valdemar or any of it's inhabitants, or any of the neighboring/surrounding/other countries of that world or any of _their_ inhabitants. ^-^ They all rightfully belong to the absolutely wonderful Mercedes Lackey!

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Notes: Mar. You people are impatient! ^^;; lol. But it gets you chapters, so… whatever works, ne?

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Notes (for RonethDragon Tiamat): Actually! The Windrider stuff is true. ^_~ He's mentioned once and a while throughout the Valdemar series. If you look in the appendix of the Last Herald Mage trilogy (I think that's the one), you can read the song lyrics for "Windrider". I think that's the most you'll find about him, though…

Eep. 0_o;; Short chapter ahoy!

Devil, Mine

Chapter Three: Sins Of Innocence

The sniffling broke my heart, but I think what bothered me more than that was the fact that I couldn't Feel anything from Celeste, despite her obvious pain. She seemed to be Shielding from me. I could only guess how she would have learned the technique.

Glancing to the left, I was pleased to see that Meriol was still asleep. That meant I wouldn't have to explain things to him, which suited me just fine. Standing, swished my tail to loosen the grass that had stuck to my hair, and hesitantly poked my head into the Waystation.

Because the Waystations were designed by Heralds and for Heralds, they were always large enough to accommodate up to three Heralds and their Companions as well, though generally they only have to fit _two_ Heralds and their Companions and not three. This was a particularly useful feature in the winter, when we were as reluctant as our Chosen to stay out in the cold and the snow. 

_:Celeste…?:_ I paced into the building, my hooves clattering softly against the floor. _:Are… you alright?:_

The sniffling stopped abruptly.

_:Chosen?:_

Silence, and she remained still. I could barely see her in the gloom, but I couldn't hear movement. She was trying trick me into thinking she was asleep? It was sweet, in a way. A childish gesture that I hadn't expected. But at the same time, it worried me.

_:I know you're not sleeping.:_

Another short sniffle, and then silence reigned once more.

Sighing, I wandered over and lowered myself to the ground beside the makeshift bed. It was nothing more than a straw mattress, but every Waystation had one and it was much preferred over the cold ground. Settling myself, I peered down at Celeste. 

Her eyes were tightly closed, but silent sobs racked her body.

_:Would you like to tell me what's wrong?:_

She didn't respond, but sniffled again. I could Feel her Shields coming down a notch, and was pleased with the little headway I had made. Falling into silence with her, I closed my eyes lightly and continued to listen to her irregular breathing.

_:You like my wings…:_ I Said finally, trying a tactic that had never been an option before. The fascination she's showed when playing with my feathers was what brought it on, despite the inherent discomfort for me, when speaking about my differences. _:Don't you? Would you like to know about them?:_

Her Shields lowered a bit farther. Who had taught her how to Shield, anyway?

"I guess…"

Headway was good. I gave a mental smile and flicked my wings out. Feathers fluttered to the ground around us and Celeste turned hesitantly and reached toward one, plucking it from the straw mattress beside herself and twisting it in her fingers. The same look of gentle concentration overtook her features and I could feel her Shields relax even more.

_:I can't tell you very much,:_ I told her softly, _:because I don't know much about them myself.:_

"H-how come?"

_:No other Companions have wings, Chosen.:_

"They don't?"

_:Not anymore. There was one, a long time ago, but he's been gone for some time.:_

"Oh." She dropped the feather she had been playing with and pulled her knees up to her chest, hugging them tightly against herself. "Who had them before?"

_:His name was Windrider. He was a very famous Companion.:_ I paused and shifted my weight, as my front left leg was beginning to go numb. _:There are a few people who think I might have his Soul.:_

"Who thinks that?"

I Sent her images of Rolan and Gwena, as well as Elspeth and Darkwind. With the images came a general feeling about each of them. I was hoping that would make her feel as if she knew who I was talking about. _:They do. I'm not entirely sure, though.:_

"Can you fly?"

_:What?:_ The question was unexpected, and I had to think for a moment. _:I… don't know. I've never tried.:_

"Why?"

_:I guess I'm afraid that they won't work and I'll fall.:_

"Oh."

A long silence followed that admission and I eyed her. She continued to hug her knees, her own eyes staring vaguely at the blankets that were now wrapped around her ankles. After a minute I sighed, whuffing, and pulled my wings back in with another puff of feathers.

_:Not very many people know about my wings.:_ I confided in her as she continued to stare downward, _:when I was born, Rolan and Gwena told my Mother-:_ at that I Sent an image of Mother, _:-that my wings should be kept a secret, just in case people didn't understand. It was hard, keeping them a secret, and it hurt me in a lot of ways.:_ I paused, glancing at Celeste and sending a questioning Touch toward her mind. _:Secrets can be hurtful, Love… you know that, don't you?:_

A Felt her jump, and turned by head to nudge her arm comfortingly. 

_:Why were they bricking you in, Celeste?:_

Anger bubbled up inside her, and I blinked when she demanded; "why do you keep calling me that?!"

_:W-what?:_

"You keep calling me "Celeste"." She snapped, even as the flash of anger subsided, replaced almost immediately by grief. "My name is Mia."

I was completely floored, and could only stare at her in shock. What did she mean by _that_? Her name… was… Celeste… I had Felt that when I Chose her… I _knew_… I _knew_ it was… but… I shook my head, eyes wide. This wasn't supposed to… we were supposed to… to… part of the Choosing was knowing the name of the Soul we bonded to… 

_:M-Mia…?:_ I stammered, my Voice shaking. _:But-:_

"They've called me Mia ever since…" she frowned, concentrating, "…I can't remember…"

_:B-but…:_

"I don't remember." She repeated, looking at me. Her eyes were clouded as she attempted to delve into a memory that apparently wasn't there. I continued to stare at her, trying to grasp the situation. "There's a lot I don't remember."

Tears again, and this time I couldn't decide whether to attempt comforting her or not. But… whether her name was Celeste or Mia… she was still my Chosen. I shuffled closer to her and nudged her again. After a second she looked at me sadly, eyes shining, and then wrapped her arms around my neck.

_:Chosen… what happened? I… I don't understand…:_

"Neither do I." She whispered brokenly. "I just… I just…"

_:You what?:_

"I saw."

Again, my mind came up blank. She saw? It must have had something to do with her Gifts. Thus far, I didn't know what they were. And I knew that in Karse, Gifts were seen differently… I decided to do something that, until then, I hadn't been sure about. As she continued to cry into my mane, I gently probed into her Thoughts.

_Bardic? She has the Bardic Gift. But I don't know what that would have to do with "seeing"…_

As I continued to sort through her mind, I came upon what I was looking for. 

_ForeSight. That… would explain… except…_

The Gift was still dormant; it hadn't yet awakened, so it couldn't have caused her so See anything… still, there had to be something… I frowned mentally, following a thin trail of energy through the jumble of memories in her mind. 

_Oh._

The ForeSight was still dormant, yes, but it was strongly linked to her Bardic Gift.

I turned an eye toward her, attempting to decide if what I _thought_ had happened had actually happened. _:Did you See… were you singing, when you Saw? Love, were you singing?:_

She sniffled again, then nodded reluctantly. "I was singing, and I saw… there was fire and…"

The horror of what she had seen was beginning to drift from her to me, and I pulled my Mind back from hers. Flashes of flames. Roaring of fire. Burning flesh and shrieking screams. I stopped her before she could bring the memories to the surface again, and quickly blocked the images from her mind.

"I tried to tell them, and they didn't believe…"

I didn't need her to finish the sentence, as I already had the general idea. I could guess what had happened next. 

_The fire actually happened. What she had predicated came true._

"They called me a witch." She murmured, wiping at her cheeks with the back of her hand. "They said I should be… that fire would cleanse me… but… Lartor stopped them… convinced them… that… they shouldn't… burn…"

I was angry.

I was _very_ angry.

Despite the fact that she was not who I thought she was, I couldn't help the rage that threatened to overwhelm me. Just the idea that they were going to… burn her alive… I took a deep breath. Whoever this Lartor character was, Celeste – Mia – and I both owed him or her a debt of gratitude.

"So they were going to put be in the cell." Her voice had dropped to so low that I had to strain to hear what she was saying. Through our Link, though, I got the idea behind her words. "And then you came…"

I couldn't think of anything to say at first, and then I settled for a promise. One that I hoped with all my heart that I would be able to keep. _:No one will ever hurt you like that again.:_

She sniffled sadly, and leaned against me, cuddling into my side and closing her eyes. I knew more about her now, but still there were unanswered questions. Eventually, I hoped to get past all of the trauma of her past, and it would take time. Now, I Touched her Mind again, and, prompted by me, she fell into a dreamless sleep.

I laid my head down, curling around her protectively.

_:I promise.:_ I said softly, then repeated it, as much for myself as for her. _:No one will ever hurt you again.:_

~*~*~*~*~*~

Me: Okay, short chapter. Apologies! *bows* I'm having a bit of writer's block on this, (just a bit) and to make things even more complicated, the entire storyline is taking a different path than I had originally anticipated. *sighness* Confusing? Apologies for that, too… ^^;; 


	4. Lives Long Past

**Disclaimer:** Valdemar & concepts belong to Mercedes Lackey. Original characters and this story belong to Senashenta.

Sena: Damn you, Writer's Block Demon! I. Am. Going. To. Finish. Devil, Mine! _;;

WB Demon: Roar! I have kidnapped your fic! Roar!

Sena: Back foul beast! Back from the shadows whence you came!

WB Demon: AHA! You shall never vanquish me!

Sena: Smite you I shall! *waves big pointy stick* Have at thee!

**Devil, Mine**

**Chapter Four: Lives Long Past**

Celeste—Mia—slept deeply, aided by my mental nudging, but I wasn't so lucky. There were more thoughts and worries clambering at the back of my head than there had been in my entire life up until that point, and there was no way I was going to get any more rest than I'd already had.

I wasn't entirely unhappy, though, as my Chosen was cuddled into my side, huddling against me as if she were still hiding from the horrors of her previous life. I watched her silently, unable to comprehend what she had gone through... what she had seen, or what her life had been like.

And that was the problem.

I _couldn't_ understand, and though I loved her with all my heart, I probably never would.

Unless...

I hesitated, glancing down at her through the shadows inside the Waystation, and my hide twitched uncomfortably. _But what other choice do I have, really? _If I was ever to know what she was feeling—what she, herself, actually _was_, even—it seemed to be my only option. Still, how could I... how could I...

Celeste shifted against my side, whimpering softly into my shoulder, and a firm resolve washed over me. I had saved her from the Priests, and I was not going to spend the rest of my life not knowing her—not knowing my own Soul Mate.

Gently, I reached with my mind, brushing my own consciousness against her, and—

_I was playing in the barn, with one of the family dogs. Sathie and Pepper were out in the corn field that bordered our gardens with Papa, tracking down gophers that had been pulling out our carrots and stealing lettuce and other vegetables from the garden, but Layla had just had puppies a little while ago, so she stayed behind._

_The puppies were less than a month old, and still only roly-poly balls of fuzz and tongue. Since they opened their eyes, they had been getting into everything—so Papa had gotten my brother to move them and Layla to the foaling box stall, because it had a full door across the entrance. I had begged and begged Urian to let me help him, and he had said alright—as long as I didn't get in the way._

_So I carried three of the seven soft, furry pups over to the foaling stall and set them down in the hay as gently as I could, and Layla followed me back and forth all three times, sniffing around each of her babies once I put them down, to make sure they were alright. She was a good mother, that much I could tell, even though I was only five years old._

_After he was finished, Urian went off with my other brother, Nolani, to work in the fields that surrounded our farm. They took two of the horses—Aman and Nadin—with them, and because of that I knew they were going to Harvest. They wouldn't be back from the fields for the rest of the day._

_ "See, Layla? Your babies are fine here." Layla was still sniffing around the stall, making sure everything was okay, and I sat down in one corner to watch her and her new family. The only one that was missing was Pepper... but he had never shown much interest in the puppies, anyway, and Papa said that he never would. It was different with papa-dogs than it was with papa-people._

_One of the puppies toddled over to me, bumped against my knee, and looked up at me with shiny puppy eyes. I patted his head gently, and his stubby tail wagged happily for a moment before he turned around and wandered off to play with his brothers and sisters._

_It was funny, you know, but Layla didn't seem to have any trouble with her babies. I wondered, sometimes, how she could so easily take care of not one—not two—but _seven_ pups, all at the same time. Nolani had told me, though, that she'd had nearly that many babies once before—back when I was just a baby myself._

_Sathie__ was one of them, he said, and I had laughed because Sathie didn't look anything like Layla at all! And where had the rest of the puppies gone, if there had been so many of them?_

_"Well," Nolani had said, "two of them didn't make it."_

_I hadn't understood. "What didn't they make?" I asked._

_He smiled and shook his head, "I meant... they died, Celeste."_

_"Oh." _That_ I understood. "Like Mama..."_

_"Sort of."__ Nolani nodded, "but the puppies were sick, you see, so they were supposed to die."_

_"Who says?"_

_"The Gods.__ See, sometimes puppies or other babies are born wrong... they're sick and weak, and very unhappy." He had been working at shoeing one of the horses, and then he stopped and let Solana's hoof drop back to the floor of the barn; "but the Gods don't like them to suffer, so they let them die. Then, the babies who had been sick and in pain can be happy in the Havens, and their mothers can concentrate on taking care of the healthy babies... understand?"_

_"Sort of."__ And I had—sort of. What I didn't understand was why, of they cared to much, the Gods would let something be born sick, after all. "What happened to the _rest _of the puppies, Nolani?"_

_He picked up Solana's foot again and continued cleaning under the nail; "well, we kept Sathie, but you know that already. The other three we gave away to other families who needed dogs to work, or wanted them for pets."_

_"Oh." I said. "Are we going to give Layla's babies away again?"_

_"Probably," Nolani agreed, "we don't have the room to keep seven more dogs, and there's people in the village that would take good care of them..."_

_My mind drifted back to the present when Layla sat down beside me and nosed at my ear. It ticked, and I giggled and pushed her away, and then leaned back against the wall of the stall to watch the puppies play._

_I didn't want to give them away. In fact, I had already started giving them names; the one with the black spot on its chest was Ciara, and the one that had a crooked ear was Ilo. The one that slept all the time was Sasson, and the two who looked almost exactly the same as Layla—puppy twins, I said they were—were Thom and Tameka._

_"I only have to name two more." I confided in Layla, who blinked at me._

_She curled up next to me, then, and rested her head in my lap, and she was so warm and soft that I found myself drifting off to sleep, comfortable and contented, surrounded by cuddly balls of fuzz and love..._

Celeste shifted in her sleep and I swam up from her memories long enough to check on her once more. She was still as I had "left" her, sleeping soundly against my side. Her brows were furrowed, though, and uneasiness had begun to seep down our newly forming Bond.

_:Sleep__, Chosen.:_ I whispered once again, and nudged her consciousness back into dreamtime.

She mumbled something under her breath and drifted back into a neutral dream. I watched her for another long moment, and then sighed softly and closed my eyes again, to delve back into her tortured subconscious. I was still searching—

_...I woke up to the sound of shouting from the gardens, and it took me a while to get past the mental fog that had set in enough to recognize the voice. But then it finally penetrated into my thoughts, and as I rubbed vaguely at my eyes I realized that it was Papa's voice that I was hearing—but it wasn't the only one._

_Other voices were shouting, too, but I didn't understand the words. Somewhere in the distance, I could hear the sound of many horses, moving down the road—or maybe up it. They seemed to be coming toward the farm._

_Layla was growling, softly, under her breath, and standing near the door to the stall. Her puppies had fallen asleep too, I guess while I was sleeping, and were piled in the corner, snoozing through their mother's growls. In her stall, Solana was shuffling and making nervous noises, and I got up and slipped out of the box-stall to check on her and see what was wrong._

_Solana was a lot taller than me, but I was big enough to reach her nose at least. I rubbed it gently on my way past, and looked back toward her for a second just before I peeked out around the barn doors._

_Papa was in the garden, and Pepper was with him. He'd had Sathie with him, too, but I couldn't see him from where I was. There were other men, too, wearing strange clothing, and beyond them in the front yard were even more, still. Papa was shouting at them, and they were shouting back, in the same strange words that I'd heard before._

_And then, suddenly, one of the men raised a sword and swung—_

_Bright red spurted outward from Papa's shoulder, splashing out and across his own face and that of the Man with the Sword. Pepper ran. He ran fast, with his tail between his legs and his ears back against his head, and before long I couldn't see him anymore._

_But I could still see Papa—and for a long time, he just stood there, and I could see that his eyes were wide and he was shocked. He just stood there, staring, and the Man with the Sword jerked it back out of Papa's shoulder again. It was then that Papa's knees buckled: he fell forward, landing at the feet of the Man with the Sword, and the man just looked at him—just looked at him, and wiped the blade of his sword on the edge of his tunic before putting it away again._

_Somehow, I knew Papa was gone... but I didn't feel anything. Papa was gone, but... not. The person that was lying on the ground, soaked in blood, not moving—that person had nothing to do with my Papa. _My _Papa was gone... but he would be back._

_He would be back, and the Man with the Sword would be sorry._

_He would be so sorry that he made a mess of Papa's favorite jacket—_

_He would be so sorry that he scared Pepper, and made him run away into the woods—_

_He would be—_

_I realized that someone was whimpering, the kind of sound that Layla's puppies made when they were hungry, or cold, or afraid. For a minute, I couldn't even place the sound: I wasn't afraid, because Papa would be back—would be back, and then the Man with the Sword and the Others would go away, and I would go back and play with the pups some more._

_I wasn't afraid..._

_The Man with the Sword turned to look at the barn, and I scuttled back out of the doorway, hiding in the shadows just beyond the entrance. I stayed there for a little while—just a very little while—and then heard someone coming, so I got up and ran back to the box-stall, and slipped inside and huddled there, in the corner, with Layla's puppies._

_Layla was still growling, and she couldn't come to sit with the pups and me. Instead she stayed by the door to the stall. Her hair was all standing up, and her tail was bristled out. She was very angry, and very scared..._

_Someone was inside the barn, then, and talking in the same words that I just didn't understand. I heard Solana shuffling in her stall, and then the creaking as the gate that kept her in was lifted. I heard the footsteps of a person and Solana as they left the barn, but Layla didn't stop growling._

_She growled, and growled, and—_

_The door to the stall opened, and at the same instant, Layla launched herself at the person beyond—more blood, as bright as before, splashed across the stall walls, and Layla fell back into the hay, lifeless and gone, just like Papa. Her eyes had rolled up into her head, and she stared blankly at me and her babies, and suddenly I knew—I understood._

_My lungs didn't want to work. They just stopped._

_I couldn't breathe. I hugged one of the puppies close to me, and the rest of them cuddled against my sides, whimpering and trying to hide as the Man with the Sword stepped into the stall, kicking Layla out of his way, and looked down at me—at _us_—with cold, black eyes._

_He said something to me, but I didn't know what._

_I hid my eyes against the fur of the puppy I was holding, and didn't look up—didn't look at him—didn't want to see—_

_One of the other pups squealed, and its scream made me jerk my head up—just in time for the Man with the Sword to throw it down next to its Mama. He looked at me—looked at me and then stabbed downward with his sword, killing another of the precious babies that Layla had died to protect._

_I cried. _

_I cried and wept and held that one singular puppy as he slaughtered the rest of them—and then dragged even the last innocent pup  from me, raised it in front of my eyes and then dropped it and _stomped _down with his boot—and the puppy screamed, high pitched and ear piercing—and bones crunched, so terrible and loud—and then he shook his sword to rid it of the bits of meat and skin that clung to it, and blood flecked across my face, mixing with my tears, and I continued to cry—_

_The Man with the Sword picked me up and held me under his arm, like I had seen Papa do with sacks of grain. He laughed then, while he held me, and wiped the last of the puppy's blood onto my tunic and pants. _

_He carried me out to the yard, where the rest of the men were waiting. I was still crying, but I could see that they had Solana, and Aman and Nadin, too: Aman and Nadin, who had been out in the Fields with Urian and Nolani, and I didn't want to think about what had happened to my brothers._

_He carried me past Papa, who was lying in the yard, still, like he was sleeping, but drowning in a wide pool of blood. His eyes, white as the Companions he had told me about in bedtime stories, stared up at me, and I looked away before he could see how afraid I was._

_He carried me up to one of the horses, and threw me into the lap of another man, and shouted something at him, and the other man wrestled me onto the saddle and held me there while the rest of the men, and the Man with the Sword, began to burn the farm, even as I watched—_

_Began to burn—_

_The farm—_

_My home—_

_And—_

I jerked out of the memory with a physical flinch, with my heart and soul screaming at me and a lump the side of an apple in my throat. I was gasping, hyperventilating, unable to breathe, and my sides were heaving, though Celeste continued to sleep through my distress. _:By__ the Gods..!:_

_:Sera__?: _Meriol was standing in the doorway, concern written in his very posture. _:Are__ you alright?:_

It took me a minute to compose myself, as visions of blood and carnage continued to run rampant in my Mind, and I nodded mutely. He seemed reluctant, but bid me a soft 'goodnight' and retreated from the Waystation door, leaving me alone, again, in the darkness of the building, to deal with what I had just seen.

And there was more...

So much more, but I just couldn't... I couldn't deal with any more.

Not that night.

Still shivering, though not actually cold, I curled myself back around Celeste, who muttered something in Karsite in her sleep, and closed my eyes, trying to banish the visions that continued to whirl through my thoughts. _I had no idea... Celeste... I had no idea..._

**~*~*~*~*~**

Sena: WHOO! HOO-FREAKING-RAY!! ^_^;; I _will_ finish this! Hopefully, the next chapter won't take so long!

.....

I almost made myself cry with the Man with the Sword killed the puppies. ;_; *sad Sena*


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